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Johannesburg

We drive through the suburbs, to provide a feel of suburban living, travelling past Sandton City and the financial hub of Africa. We drive through the Parktown area telling the stories of the early growth of Johannesburg and of the "Randlords" and pointing out some of their magnificent residences: Northwards, The View, Villa Arcadia, and others as well as Loch avenue where members of Milner's Kindergarden lived.

The original Beacon at Randjeslaagte marking Johannesburg's Northern most point is visited. Down town Johannesburg is then driven through showing all of the old part of town and explaining the changes that have taken place during the years. Old buildings and examples of different era’s architecture and life styles are pointed out. We see examples of Herbert Baker architecture.

We see the old mining houses, the Magistrates Court, the Gauteng Legislature, the Library, the Old Telephone Exchange, the Rissik street Post Office, The Corner House, the Supreme Court, the old stock exchanges, "trading between the chains" in Rissik street. Depending upon duration of the tour we include a drive through Melville, visiting a coffee bar and enjoying the atmosphere.

The Rand Club is visited and it’s role in the early years explained. The Lionel Phillips Memorial is shown and stories of the Gold Rush years told. We discuss the early years on the gold mines, as well as the 1922 Miners strike and revolt. The site of the shooting of Labauschagne during the Miners Revolt is visited.

We visit the Traditional Healers Market and discuss the role Traditional Healers have in modern South Africa. We drive through the older areas of Johannesburg, showing St John's College, Jeppe High School, the first farm in the area, Nelson Mandela’s home, Ghandi house and his recently erected memorial in Fordsburg. George Harrison Park and the site of the first gold strike are shown and the story told. The Foster Gang and the site of their final stand are shown and the story of that event told and how it linked to the death of legendary General de la Rey. The site of General de la Rey’s memorial is visited, and the story of his death and the role of Seer Van Rensberg explained. The old Railway station and the story of the Dynamite explosion is shown and told.

We drive through downtown Johannesburg, showing the old and the new and outline the improvements which are taking place to attract people back into the centre of the City and explain about the re-vitalisation of the city centre.

During this tour anecdotes are told and a vivid picture of the early years of Johannesburg are painted.